


Turning A New Page

by Clouded_with_l0ve



Series: Family Matters [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Found Family?, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm calling the knight 'ghost', Other Additional Tags to Be Added, it seems popular, sly is a jerk, they deserve happiness, vessels can eat because I said so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2020-10-27 06:42:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clouded_with_l0ve/pseuds/Clouded_with_l0ve
Summary: The Radiance has been defeated. Now Hornet and her siblings need to pick up the pieces and heal.(AKA I want these children to be happy but there may also be some minor suffering)





	1. A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I really love Hollow Knight, and the endings have such potential for fluff and hurt/comfort  
Hope you guys like it!

Hornet felt so very, very cold. When the little vessel used the Dream Nail on the Hollow Knight, the entire Black Egg Temple filled with void. Hornet was immediately sucked into the inky blackness as it tried to squeeze the air out of her lungs.

It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes, ten at most. But to Hornet, it felt like days. Suffocating her, threatening to crush her into nothing. No, she had to hold on. She refused to let the void take her like this.

As quickly as the void took her, it unceremoniously dropped her onto the floor of the temple. She lay there, shivering from the chill, mind and body reeling. The void slowly drained away, trickling down into the abyss.

After a few moments, she stirred. Hornet couldn’t lay here all day but trying to move was proving difficult. The interaction with the void left her drained.

Hornet settled on using her needle to raise her up. After making sure she was stable and not about to fall over, she turned.

There, lying in a small puddle of blackness, was the little vessel. Nearby, the large form of the Hollow Knight also lay motionless.

Her siblings.

“L-Little Ghost!” she called out. Once she reached them, she fell to her knees and picked them up. “Ghost! Are you OK?”

The little vessel slowly came to, shaking their head and reaching for her. They were shivering, gripping Hornet’s cloak with a death grip, as if she’d disappear if they let go. Ghost’s fight with the Hollow Knight and the source of the infection left them in bad shape.

Hornet shifted their grip on their little sibling to hold them close with one arm. Ghost squirmed and clutched her tight during this, which made it more difficult than it needed to be. She needed to check on her _other_ sibling.

_How does one check for vital signs on a vessel?_ Hornet asked herself. Did vessels even have heartbeats? Pulses? Organs? Their poor eldest sibling looked awful, cracks in their mask and huge, gaping holes in their lower abdomen. She couldn’t look at their wounds for too long.

Slowly, carefully, she rested a hand on their chest. Searching for any sign of life. A pulse, a twitch, something. _Anything._

The Hollow Knight took a shaky breath, chest rising and falling a tiny bit. But that tiny bit was enough for Hornet.

“I’m not letting you go.” She told them. Did they even hear? “Either of you. Both of you deserve better. We’re going to get through this. I promise you.”

Hornet reached for the Hollow Knight’s hand and gripped it tight. She also gave little Ghost a squeeze.

“I promise.”

* * *

Hornet’s first thought was to take her siblings to Dirtmouth. But the actual, living Hollow Knight might stir unwanted attention. They were too weak.

They needed a quiet area to hunker down in while they recovered. Her next thought was taking them to Greenpath. It wasn’t too far, and she knew the area well enough. They could find a little nook or cranny to rest in, and they could heal.

Getting her siblings there was another hurdle that Hornet would jump. She ended up putting Ghost on her back, using some strings to make sure they didn’t fall off. But the string didn’t see much use, as the little vessel clung tight to her cloak for dear life.

The Hollow Knight – or just simply ‘Hollow’ for now – was next. They were just…so _big. _They were most definitely twice her height, and she had to think on how she was going to carry them.

Luckily for Hornet, despite Hollow’s size, they weighed very little. Concerning, but for the moment it was helpful. She decided to grab under their arms and drag them as gently as she could. It was at this point Hornet learned that Hollow was missing an entire arm.

When did that happen? How did it happen? This opened up a large amount of questions that Hornet didn’t think would get answered anytime soon. She took a deep breath, grabbed her sibling, and headed for Greenpath.

Thank Wyrm it was close by. It felt very wrong to drag the Hollow Knight around Hallownest. Sacrilegious, almost. But it was a necessity, and Hornet hoped they were unconscious for the trip.

“Little Ghost are you awake?” she asked. A little tap on her back was a ‘yes’. “If you see anywhere that’s out of the way where we can set up camp, let me know, alright?” Another little tap for a reply.

Greenpath was warmer than the rest of Hallownest, and Hornet hoped it would ease the chill that the void caused. Maybe she could take them for a hot spring when Hollow woke up.

Ghost tapped her back rapidly, pointing to an area to the left. Behind some bushes was a little cave, looking abandoned.

“Oh, that looks perfect.” It took a little maneuvering to get Hollow to fit through the entrance, but the cave was bigger than it looked. Hornet laid her eldest sibling down on a patch of soft moss, then untied Ghost and placed them down.

“How do you feel, little ghost?” she asked, fussing over their mask. She saw a hairline fracture in the middle and hoped it would heal in time. “The fight with Hollow did a number on your physical body, and the battle inside your mind harmed you mentally.”

Ghost shook their head and tried to stand but stumbled. Hornet managed to catch them and sit them back down. “Do not try to fool me. You need rest. All three of us do.” She looked at Hollow, still as a statue, barely breathing. “…I worry about them greatly. I’m going to try to patch them up.”

Hornet rummaged through her cloak. “I should have some…here they are.” Pulling out some bandages, she paused. Which injury should she take care of first? The crack on their mask? The holes in their stomach? Or their missing arm? They only had enough bandages for one.

She started bandaging their stomach. It was the injury leaking the most void, so it took priority. Hornet would have to go for more supplies soon, but this was the best she could do now. She fussed over Hollow’s mask, trying to clean off the dust, grime, and specks of infection.

“I feel like midwife.” She muttered, glancing over at Ghost. “Have you met midwife? In Deepnest?”

Ghost nodded, tapping their mask in the middle.

“Ah, yes. She has the nastiest habit of biting at people.” She turned back to try and clean the small amount of void oozing from the crack in Hollow’s mask. “The people of Deepnest have large appetites but little to eat.”

But that could be said about most of the inhabitants of Hallownest.

Scooting over to Ghost, she said, “You’re next. Come here-” The little vessel squirmed and wiggled as she cleaned their horns, trying to get away. “Oh, calm down. I’m just cleaning your mask.”

Once she was satisfied, she picked them up and put the little vessel in her lap. Soon after, they started to nod off. “Tired? I don’t blame you.” Hornet pet the top of their head, especially around the base of their horns. “You’ve done so much, little one. Sleep. You are safe here.”

Ghost slumped forward, seemingly asleep. Hornet reached and stroked Hollow’s mask. “You’re safe as well, rest as much as you can. I will protect you.”

Hollow said nothing. Sighing, Hornet leaned back against the cave wall, feeling sleep take her as well.


	2. Hungry Knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was reading the wiki and found out that Team Cherry's first game was called 'Hungry Knight' and it's Ghost! Wild!

Hornet snapped awake right as she was about to fall over. She couldn’t have been asleep for more than a few hours. Little Ghost was curled up in her lap, and Hollow laid nearby.

It was hard to tell at a glance, but Hollow had _moved_. They had shifted slightly to get more comfortable. A good sign to be sure.

Hornet winced, stomach twisting and churning with hunger. What she had said about the inhabitants of Deepnest was truthful, and she was no exception. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a bite to eat.

First order of business was setting up traps and looking for food.

Wait, did vessels need to eat? _Could _they eat?

Nudging their little sibling, Hornet whispered, “Little Ghost. Wake up for a moment.”

Ghost squirmed, rubbing their mask as they woke up. “Don’t rub too much.” She said, “Your mask has a little crack, touching it could make it worse.”

“If we are to stay here, it’s essential that I set up traps and forage for supplies.” Hornet said, standing and reaching for her needle. “This brings me to a slightly odd question. Do…do you eat? Do vessels need to eat?”

Ghost nodded enthusiastically. They reached into their cloak, pulling out a worn book. Flipping to a page, they held it out for her to see. The page documented a bright, red berry. “You like these?” she asked, her answer was more excited nodding.

The red berries were noted to be found mostly in Greenpath. How fortunate! “I can do my best to look for these as I set up traps.” Hornet took a mental note to keep an eye out for any red patches in the bushes. “But If not, I hope you like cooked Maskflies.”

The little vessel stood and began to follow her, but Hornet picked them up and placed them back down. “I have a very, very important job for you.” She said. “Only the bravest little vessel can do it.”

Ghost tilted their head, interested, and Hornet continued. “I need you to watch Hollow. They are very weak and need to be watched. Are you up to the task?”

They nodded, pulling out their nail and standing guard. Hornet pat their head. “I knew you could. I shouldn’t be long.”

* * *

The little vessel waited, watching their eldest closely.

**Sibling?** They thought.

Some void creatures could communicate through hushed whispers only they could speak. The Siblings often whispered gibberish, and Ghost learned quickly that trying to talk them out of fighting was a waste of time. The Collector too, but what they said was…strange.

**Sibling sleeping? **Hollow didn’t stir, and Ghost placed their little hand on their eldest sibling’s chest, as Hornet did. Still breathing.

Ghost sat down next to them. **Hornet get food. Sibling hungry?** Hollow gave no indication that they heard, but they did shift ever so slightly. Did they like the shiny red berries too? How did they eat in the temple?

Vessels didn’t have organs in the traditional sense. Yes, they did have an outer layer of hardened void to act as a shell and squishy void inside to act as organs. Ghost could feel how…_empty_ they were. Hunger wasn’t very fun. They wondered how Hollow felt.

**…hope sister comes back.**

* * *

Hornet set up the last silken trap, nodding to herself as she did so. She had one more thing she wanted to do before heading back; stopping at Dirtmouth for supplies. Blankets, bandages, anything else they may need for the time being.

She hadn’t planned too far ahead, focusing on making sure Hollow wouldn’t die. Once the siblings reached that step…who knew what was next, really. Baby steps.

Dirtmouth was bigger than she remembered. More bugs were finding their way out of Hallownest and moving in, setting up shops and homes and new lives. It filled Hornet with hope for the future in an odd way.

But now wasn’t the time for dawdling. Supplies were top priority, so she entered the first shop she saw. The shopkeeper was a little bug with large eyes. “Ah! Hello hello! My name is Sly. Looking for something?”

“Basic things, mostly.” Hornet murmured, looking around. “Blankets, tools, medical supplies...Do you have red berries, by any chance?”

“Red berries?” Sly asked as he gathered up some blankets. “I can look if you want. Here’s some blankets, take a look around while I check the back.”

Hornet grabbed some bandages, cloth, and other miscellaneous other items, placing them on the counter. A strange, small box grabbed her attention. Once upon a time, it was a lovely bright blue, but time had not been kind. It was a dull grey blue with a rusted lock.

“No berries, sorry.” He said as he returned to the counter. “Are these your purchases?”

“What’s this box?” She asked.

“Oh that?” Sly gestured to the box in question. “I found it in the junkpit. I think it’s a music box?”

She placed some Geo on the table. “I’ll buy it for 200 Geo.”

“2000 Geo.”

“200 Geo and I won’t break your windows.”

“Deal.” The shopkeeper placed the music box on top of the blankets. “What if it’s broken?”

Hornet huffed, growing more irritated. “Then why did you try to charge me 2000 Geo? Just tell me my total.”

She paid, took her items, and left quickly before she bit the bug’s head off. So irritating and stingy. But she got what she needed, now Hornet could properly patch her siblings back up.

What if a creature found the cave? Some large bug with an appetite for void? What if she was gone for too long, and something had happened?

Her pace quickened. Hornet burst into the cave, expecting the worse, but found nothing. Thank Wyrm.

Ghost stood up as she entered, bouncing slightly. She sighed in relief. Nothing was wrong, everything would be OK. “Hello, little Ghost. I apologize for my absence. Here-” She set the blankets down and handed them the music box.

Hornet let the little vessel entertain themselves with the music box, and she turned to Hollow. “Hello sibling.” She whispered. “Are you still sleeping? I don’t blame you.” Hollow still said nothing, but they were breathing.

“I hope you wake up soon. Let me bandage you up.” She lifted what was left of their arm to wrap it up the best she could, then turned to their mask. Hornet put their head in her lap. “I apologize for moving you, but you are very large. I hope Ghost doesn’t grow this large.” She was mostly talking to herself at this point.

Finally, Hollow was bandaged and cleaned. Still sleeping.

Hornet sighed as she laid them back down, pulling a blanket over them. “You better be asleep.” She warned, half serious. “If you’re just ignoring us, I’m going to be very cross.”

She walked over to the little vessel. “Look at me for a moment.” When they looked up at her, she put a bandage on their mask. “There you go, you can go back to your toy.”

Ghost turned back to the music box, fiddling with the rusty lock. Hornet pet their head. “I’ll be right back, I’m going to check on the traps. Wish me luck, watch over Hollow.”

When Hornet was gone, the little vessel grabbed one of the blankets, wrapping themselves in it and sitting next to Hollow.

With some effort, they snapped the lock off and opened it. The music box was padded with silk, the inside housing a blue, shiny butterfly. The old music box shuddered to life, a slow, soft melody plinking across the mechanisms hidden inside.

* * *

Hornet checked her traps. Empty. Empty. _Empty_. She needed something to eat, and so did her siblings. She promised them better, she couldn’t let them go hungry.

Traps not working, at least not yet, Hornet settled for the next best thing; hunting. Hiding in some bushes, needle at the ready, she waited.

Thankfully, not for long.

She could hear footsteps. From her hiding spot, she saw a small Tiktik. Hornet was immediately a little upset, hoping for something with more meat. But beggars can’t be choosers, and she wasn’t about to pass this potential meal up.

The grip around her needle grew tighter as she waited for the perfect moment. The moment its back was turned, she lunged.

And she missed.

Hornet had missed by a mere fraction of an inch, and it cost her. The Tiktik shrieked in fear, scrambling to escape. “No! No, no, no!” She cursed under her breath, giving chase to her prey. She was so focused on her prey, in fact, that she didn’t notice the overhanging rocks ahead.

She ran straight into it, stunned by pain. By the time she managed to recover, the Tiktik was long gone.

Hornet glared at the overhang she ran into, muttering curses under her breath and turned to go back into hiding.

But she paused, seeing something red in some bushes nearby. Looking closer, she found a dozen or so red berries. About the size of her thumb and very squishy, they looked exactly like the berries in Ghost’s book.

So, she picked all of them. Ghost would be so happy!

Holding the handful of berries, she made the trip back to the cave, taking great care that the precious cargo wouldn’t be squished.

When she returned, the first thing she said was, “Oh! You got the music box working! Well done.”

Ghost nodded, pointing to the music box excitedly.

“More good news, little Ghost, I believe I found those berries you showed me earlier.” Going on one knee, she presented the little vessel the berries.

The vessel gladly took the berries, holding the treats in their hands. Hornet watched, somewhat fascinated, as the little vessel lifted a berry to a spot underneath their mask to eat it.

Ghost froze, slowly turning to Hornet. They held out a berry.

“O-Oh? No, it’s fine. You have them.” She sat down next to them, picking up the music box to look at it. It was quite beautiful, both in design and melody. “…I already ate.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Hollow's gonna wake up soon  
they've been through a lot


	3. Nightmares

Hornet giggled as she peeked out from inside a bush, watching the pure vessel look for her. They were terrible at hiding, their large horns giving them away every time, but they were great at seeking.

The pure vessel looked behind a pillar before turning and walking to her hiding place. They peeked inside, and Hornet laughed. “You found me! You found me!”

“Do you wanna play again?” she asked. The pure vessel said nothing. She had been told many times, by her father mostly, that the pure vessel didn’t play with her for enjoyment. They were just doing as they were told.

Hornet didn’t believe them. Any of them. The royal retainers, Lurien, Monomon, the White Lady, her mother, her father, they were wrong. The pure vessel was her friend and she loved them, and they loved her.

“Huh? Do you wanna play again?” Again, no reply. “Well, father said I’m not allowed to spar with you. Maybe we could – whoa, are you OK?!”

Orange ooze dripped out of the pure vessel’s eyeholes and from under their mask. “Y-You’re sick! You’re not supposed to be sick!” Did the pure vessel seem taller than before? “Stay here, I’ll get help-!”

Hornet turned to find a royal retainer, but they were no longer in the White Palace. They were in the Black Egg Temple.

**_I was supposed to be hollow._ **Spinning around, Hornet saw the pure vessel wrapped in chains. Horrified, she watched helplessly as more orange oozed from their eyes, mask cracking and splitting. **_You made me impure._ **Where was this voice coming from? It felt like it was coming from everywhere.

“Please! I didn’t know better! I was just a child!” She called out. “Sibling, I’m sorry!”

_“I told you not to interact with the pure vessel.”_ A voice boomed behind her. _“You instilled in them an idea. You doomed Hallownest.”_

Behind her was a white light, blinding her. “Father?!”

_“Was your mother’s sacrifice in vain?”_

Hornet fell to her knees, unsure who to apologize more to. Her sibling? Her father? Her mother. “Father, please-”

Chains wrapped around her, lifting her high into the air. _“You alone will bear the burden where your sibling has failed.”_

She struggled to escape the chains, the pale light from her father growing brighter, brighter, brighter still until her entire vision was engulfed in white.

Hornet woke up screaming. Little Ghost jumped in surprise, reaching for their nail to attack whatever caused their sister harm. She took several deep breaths, looking around to try and calm herself down. “Just a nightmare…just a bad dream…”

Ghost turned on the music box for her, then reached over to give their sibling a hug. “T-Thank you, Ghost.” She said, returning the hug.

She stood, glancing at Hollow as she did so. “I’m going for a walk…maybe, see if you can wake up our sibling.

* * *

Ghost sat on Hollow’s chest, tapping their mask. **Time to wake up.**

Hollow winced, shifting under the blankets. The little vessel saw the glimmer of their nail from under the blankets. Were they laying on top of their nail? That couldn’t be comfortable. Ghost reached for the long nail-

In a flash, Ghost found themselves being grabbed and thrown to the other side of the cave. Well, at least Hollow was awake.

The large vessel reached for their nail and attempted to sit up. The moment they tried, pain shot through their body and they fell back down. Doubling over in pain, curling up and clutching their stomach.

Ghost hesitantly stepped closer, and Hollow tried to move away. **_Go…away…_** Hollow hissed.

The little vessel paused, reaching for their own nail and throwing it out of reach. Arms outstretched, Ghost assured, **Safe here.**

Hollow didn’t reply immediately, glancing around the small cave. Ghost cautiously walked closer, reaching into their cloak for a red berry. They offered it to their large sibling. **Sibling hungry?**

They stared at the berry, unsure. They _were _hungry, but what if it was poisoned? Some kind of trick? After a silent debate, their empty stomach won, and Hollow took the berry. **_Thank you._**

**_Where? _**Hollow asked, trying again to sit up. Being unable to do so once more.

Ghost gestured to the moss on the walls. **Green. Garden. Green…**

**_Greenpath?_** Ghost nodded in reply, and Hollow started to connect the dots in their mind. Suddenly, they seemed alarmed and tried to stand, their little sibling having to push them down. **_Infection! Radiance!-_**

The little vessel tried their best to settle Hollow down before they hurt themselves. **Defeated! No more infection.**

It took a minute for the news to sink in and for Hollow to lay back down. **_No…more? Defeated?_**

Ghost nodded again, more excited this time. **Sister said rest.**

Hollow _once again_ tried to stand up. **_Hornet? Where Hornet? _**

Ghost pushed them back down, stomping their feet in anger. **Sibling lay down! Need rest! Sister go hunt.**

Giving their little sibling an annoyed look, Hollow did as they were told, laying down with their arm resting over their stomach. **_…more berry?_**

After checking their pockets, Ghost shook their head. **No more. Sorry.**

* * *

Despite the horrible dream she had, Hornet’s mood picked up when she found a Maskfly in one of her traps and Crawlid in another. “Not a lot of meat on you two.” She told the corpses as she cleaned them up. “But that’s alright. Let’s get you back to my siblings.”

Hornet was a little surprised to see Hollow awake, a dark part of her was worried their sibling would never truly wake up.

“I’m so glad you’re awake.” She told them, placing her kills nearby so she could check on them. “Do…do you remember me?”

Hollow nodded, pointing at her, then used gestures to show how small she used to be. “Wow, did I really used to be that small?” Her eldest sibling nodded.

She noticed the bandages around their middle dark with void. “Did you try to move? You’re heavily injured. If you keep moving around, you’ll never heal.”

Hollow shook their head, but Ghost nodded. She sighed. “I’ll have to redress you.” Hornet turned to the little vessel. “Go look for kindling to cook dinner, I need to talk to Hollow.”

With Ghost gone, Hornet could focus all her attention onto Hollow. “I’m going to need you to sit up. I know it’ll hurt, but trust me.”

They reluctantly did as she told, flinching as the bandages were removed. They still had very large holes punched through their stomach, but their void was slowly, very slowly, starting to fill it back up.

“The infection has been defeated.” Hornet told them. “And the Pale King…father…he’s gone. Vanished, along with the White Palace.” Hollow’s head fell as she finished bandaging them. “It’s just us now. You and Ghost are injured, and both of you need rest.”

Ghost returned shortly afterwards, throwing dead leaves into the cave like confetti. After Hornet made them pick the leaves back up, a small fire was made. “You two are hungry, right? Little Ghost, you shared some berries with Hollow, right?”

The little vessel nodded, but the tall one didn’t seem so happy. Leaning over Ghost, Hollow tugged on their sibling’s horns as they silently argued.

“Some berries, as in more than one, correct?” Hornet asked, giving Ghost a stern look.

Slowly, little Ghost shook their head.

Hornet sighed. “If you don’t share, I won’t pick you any more berries. Let me cook up what I caught and we can eat.”

By no means were they chefs. But there wasn’t a lot of skill involved in shoving a dead thing into a fire. They were a little charred and burnt, but cooked. “Alright, Ghost can get the Crawlid, Hollow gets the Maskfly. I apologize if they’re burnt.”

Ghost happily dug into their dinner, but Hollow was as still as a statue, staring at the plate of cooked meat.

“What’s wrong, aren’t you hungry?”

Hollow shook their head and tried to hand her the plate. She needed to eat too, and the emptiness in the pit of her stomach demanded her to take it. But Hornet pushed the plate back. “You take it.”

Not taking no for an answer, Hollow continued to push the plate towards her. She was growing more frustrated. “I’m not doing this song and dance. You’re thin as a twig and need food.”

The two had a silent staring contest, both too stubborn to back down. Ghost tugged at Hornet’s cloak, offering her the rest of their Crawlid. She groaned. “Fine, fine. But I don’t agree with this.”

She split what was left of the Crawlid, happy that neither of them noticed she gave Ghost the majority.

They needed it more.

* * *

There was a bug traveling to Greenpath. He enjoyed the taste of certain leaves only found there, and his supply was running low. The local wildlife knew that he wouldn’t attack and left him alone. Some even came closer to investigate.

“Hello, little ones!” he would greet, patting the little bug’s shells if he could. “Don’t mind me, just go about your business.”

Coming across a fork in the road, he went down a route he had never taken before. “Let’s try this way.”

The wanderer briefly thought about the little pale bug he’s seen around Hallownest. He remembered seeing them at the Blue Lake. After a nice, relaxing visit, he left the lake and continued to explore.

“I hope I see them-” Underneath him, some rocks gave way, and he began to fall. He landed on his back, which was painful enough, but his fall has dislodged some rocks that landed on his leg.

Panicking, trying to remove the rocks, he cried out, “Oh goodness, oh no, help! Help!”

“Is anyone there?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I love Quirrel.  
Which is why he's in here now  
but this is a weird hurt/comfort fic and I don't make the rules.


	4. Pill Bugs are Friends, Not Food

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason this took so long is  
college

Ghost woke up the next morning feeling much better. A filling meal and a good night's sleep could do wonders. However, Hornet and Hollow did not feel as well. So, while she changed Hollow’s bandages, Hornet sent out the little vessel for a scouting mission.

It was easy enough; check the traps, look for berries, maybe say hello to Elderbug.

The traps were empty, and Ghost was immediately a little discouraged. But they didn’t totally know how traps worked. They’d check back later.

They did, however, find a bush full of berries. Ghost went straight to work picking as many as they could.

_“Help…? Is anyone there? Anybody…?”_

Ghost knew that voice. The berries they picked tumbled out of their grip and splattered against the ground as they sprinted off into Greenpath. They had to find him. They had to help him!

Climbing down a collapsed tunnel, they found what they were looking for. Quirrel.

Quirrel was surprised to see them at first, but relief washed over him. “Ah! My little friend! I’m so glad to see you!” He shifted, wincing. “I-I seem to have gotten myself in quite the predicament! My leg…my leg is stuck. I believe it’s broken.”

Hornet would know how to fix this! But first, they needed to get Quirrel to her. With some effort, Ghost managed to move some of the rocks off Quirrel’s foot.

“Thank you, little friend!” Quirrel rose to stand, using Ghost for balance. “I cannot thank you enough-”

He wasn’t able to finish before the little vessel began to drag them somewhere. “Hey, be careful! Where are you taking me?”

Ghost gave him a reassuring look, but continued to drag him along, occasionally carrying him up rocks. Thank goodness the infection was gone, there were no enemies for them to fight on the way.

Outside of the cave, the little vessel gestured for an area for Quirrel to rest. “Your methods are strange, my friend.” He said, slowly easing himself down. “But I trust you.”

Little Ghost darted to the little hidey-hole, tugging on Hornet’s cloak. “Ghost! Don’t pull me like that! I’m trying to bandage Hollow.” She hissed, clearly annoyed. After finishing wrapping Hollow’s mask, she turned to them. “What is it?”

They continued to pull on her cloak. “I really wish you could speak.” She sighed, placing her medical supplies down and following Ghost out of the cave.

* * *

Hornet knew this bug.

And Hornet did not like this bug.

They were a warrior, a liar, someone who came to desecrate and destroy. If it hadn’t been for the mask they wore before, she would’ve struck him down then.

But now, they sat before her, helpless and without the mask.

“Ah! Hello there!” He said, voice chipper. “I remember you, outside of Hallownest! It’s good to see you again.”

“Silence, simple bug!” Hornet snarled, reaching for her needle. “You are vulnerable, what if I’m a threat?”

He simply pointed at little Ghost. “If you truly were a threat, I doubt my little friend would bring you. My name is Quirrel. We weren’t able to properly introduce ourselves before.”

Hornet tugged her sibling a little bit away so they could talk in private. “I do not like him.” She whispered. After a moment, she continued, “Can we eat him?”

Ghost shook their head, darting over to Quirrel to give him a hug. Hornet sighed. “You are very lucky my sibling is fond of you. If it were me, you would have been my dinner.”

Quirrel snickered. “You have an odd sense of humor!”

She said nothing, electing to glare at him. Ghost gestured to his broken leg, and she stepped closer. “You broke your leg. What am I supposed to do about this?”

“I’m not sure myself.” Quirrel shrugged. “My little friend simply brought me here.”

Hornet glared at her sibling. “You want me to help him, don’t you?” Ghost nodded eagerly, hugging Quirrel’s arm.

“I apologize for putting you and my little friend in this predicament.” He said quickly, trying to calm her down.

It didn’t work.

Hornet reached towards him, lifting him off the ground and causing him to yelp. “You are very strong, miss!” He squeaked.

“You need to lose some weight.” She huffed, taking him to the cave. “This is where we have been staying.”

Hollow was surprised to see their sister bring in an outsider and instinctively reached for their greatnail. “There is no need.” She assured them, dropping Quirrel onto the floor. “This is…Hollow. Our eldest sibling. Hollow, this is….Ghost’s friend.”

“I just told you my name!” Quirrel huffed. “My name is Quirrel, and it’s nice to meet you, Hollow!”

Unsurprisingly, Hollow said nothing. “I see silence runs in the family!” Quirrel joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Your leg is broken. I’m going to have to set it back into place before I can wrap it.” Hornet said, gathering her bandages and medical supplies at her side. “Ghost, hold him still. It’s going to hurt.”

Quirrel laughed nervously. “It couldn’t hurt more than when I broke it-” Hornet twisted the broken leg back into place, and he _screamed. _

“Told you it would hurt.” She muttered, taking some joy from his pain. Quickly she wrapped it with a large stick to keep the leg in place. “There, done.”

He said nothing, wheezing in pain and staring at his leg. Hornet turned to her elder sibling as she stood. “Your turn.”

Hollow shook their head and tried to squirm away, not liking how painful Quirrel’s screams were. “No sense of trying to flee. No offense, you wouldn’t be able to get very far.”

They paused, then gave her a _look. _One that seemed to say, _Don’t test me._

“Once you two feel better,” Hornet said, looking at Hollow and Ghost – and ignoring Quirrel. “We should find a more permanent place to stay. Call me crazy, but I’m thinking of something more…modern. Maybe even with a _door.”_

“There are houses in Dirtmouth.” Quirrel said, Ghost nodding along to what he was saying. “I’m sure there’s a place big enough for you three.”

Hornet bit back the instinct to snap at him. It was a reasonable suggestion. Dirtmouth was in no shortage of abandoned houses, even with some bugs returning to it.

“Not a bad idea.” She begrudgingly hissed. “I’m still considering to have you for dinner.”

“What?!”


	5. Moving House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beep beep, extreme HC aler

Greenpath couldn’t be the sibling’s home forever. Ghost and Hollow were healing nicely, and the little vessel was growing restless. It was difficult for Hornet to keep them inside the cave for them to rest. Secondly, the local fauna couldn’t keep them fed for very long.

And lastly, Quirrel was driving Hornet _insane._

“What do you MEAN you don’t eat meat?!” She shouted.

Quirrel looked at her, puzzled. “I…don’t eat meat? I didn’t think it’s too difficult to understand.”

Hornet huffed, feeling her blood boil. She worked hard to catch this vengefly, and he had the audacity to refuse? “I don’t believe you can afford to be _picky, _simple bug.”

Ghost offered him some red berries, which he gratefully accepted. In between bites, he explained, “No, no, it’s not a matter of personal taste. I mean I _cannot _eat meat. I can’t digest it and I’ll become very ill.”

“That is a horrible excuse.” She replied, still bitter. “I’m not going back out, so you’re going hungry.”

He shrugged, casually munching on the little red berries. “It’s fine, I’ve been hungry before.”

Gods, how she loathed him.

On a brighter note, Hollow’s health was improving. No longer did they have gaping holes in their body, and they stopped bleeding void-blood. They were still too thin for Hornet’s liking, but they would need a proper meal rather than burnt tiktiks and berries.

“Can you walk?” She asked them.

Hollow thought for a moment before slowly getting to their feet. They stumbled at first but took a few steps to show her that they could indeed walk.

She nodded thoughtfully. “Well then, I suppose we should find a more permanent home.”

Greenpath wasn’t a viable option, due to how they were already hunting the local game too much. Deepnest was Hornet’s next thought, but it was too deep, too cold, and had far too many painful memories. Maybe Dirtmouth?

“Ghost, come with me to Dirtmouth to take a look around.” She turned to Quirrel. “Hollow, keep an eye on our guest while we’re gone.”

A silence fell over the cave. Quirrel could almost _feel _Hollow staring at him, finding the silence suddenly unnerving. He needed something to pass the time_, anything_. “So! Hollow, do you have any…hobbies?”

Hollow said nothing. Quirrel wasn’t sure if they were _breathing_. “Not quite the talker, huh? I mean, neither is the little one! But, uh, they have their own little way to talk. I suppose it’ll take some time for you to come out of your shell.”

Time for a topic change. Quirrel leaned over to grab his bag – he had left it where he fell and had asked Ghost to grab it for him – to rummage through it. From his bag, he produced a pack of cards.

“Now then, Hollow.” He said, with a small smile, “Do you want to learn how to play poker?”

* * *

Dirtmouth was no longer the fading town it once was when Ghost began their crusade. Now, it was full of life from bugs that had been rescued from Hallownest’s corpse and wandering bugs from places unknown.

By no means was it bustling, but it wasn’t completely dead.

Hornet peeked from the well, scoping the area. She was in no mood to get trapped in conversation by talkative bugs, she and Ghost were on a very important mission. “Elderbug has been here the longest, correct?”

Little Ghost nodded, struggling to peek over the well like their sister.

“Then we should talk to him about empty houses left.” She reached over to grab Ghost by the cape in order to help them climb out.

Elderbug was often in the middle of town, tending to their small flower garden. The little white flower Ghost had given him did wonderful in soil, and had even begun sprouting baby flowers nearby.

Tapping his shoulder, Hornet cleared her throat. “Elderbug, am I correct?”

“Yes you are.” Elderbug said, turning to her. “How can I help you, miss?”

Ghost waved at the old bug, bouncing slightly in excitement. Elderbug’s face lit up at the sight. “Ah! There’s the little one! You vanished for a moment there, everyone in town was worried. You alright, little one?”

“They are currently under my care.” Hornet interrupted. “Now, we are looking for a residence in Dirtmouth to stay at for the time being. Are there still houses left?”

“Oh yes, there are houses left. I don’t believe we have to worry about lack of housing for quite some time.”

“Right, I have some specifications, however.” If Little Ghost, Hollow, and Hornet were going to stay in a house, they needed it to be large enough to fit all three of them comfortably. Along with that, the house would need doors for Hollow to fit in. Finally, Hornet wanted _privacy._

“We’re looking for a large house, preferably out of the way.” She explained. “Any ideas?”

Elderbug frowned in thought. “Hm...well, there is a larger house on the outskirts of town...That’s as much advice I can offer.”

The two bowed to Elderbug, allowing him to return to his garden as they went to investigate.

The house in question was – thankfully – abandoned. It was larger than the other houses, and Hornet found it was locked up tight. “Someone important must’ve had this house.” She said, looking for an opening inside. “An old mayor, perhaps.”

She winced, knowing what she had to do next. “Erm, Little Ghost? What is that behind you?”

With their young, impressionable sibling distracted, Hornet used her needle to shatter a window. She might be new to being an older sibling, but she’ll be damned if she’s going to be a bad influence. “Why, look! I found an open window! Let’s take a look inside.”

The house was covered in dust, and almost nothing was left. Whoever used to live here took most everything except for the furniture. “If we were to live here, it would need some serious cleaning.”

Ghost nodded, then sneezed as they stirred up clouds of dust and dirt.

“Remember, we’re looking to see if this place has enough space for the three of us. Hollow especially.” Hornet briefly thought about a future where Little Ghost was as tall as their eldest sibling, perhaps taller. She was _already_ envious.

But she was thinking too far ahead. Counting her eggs before they hatched would get them nowhere. For now, they just had to focus on finding a home.

The house was indeed large, with a living room, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. The upstairs had two bedrooms, one larger. Most likely the master bedroom. “We don’t have enough bedrooms.” She noted, disappointment in her voice. This was so close to what she wanted.

Little Ghost tugged on her cloak, pointing to a closet. “…that isn’t a bedroom.” She told them. “That is a closet, used to store objects and items.”

They pointed to the closet, then pointed to themselves, looking at her. Hornet frowned, trying to piece together what they were saying. “You…want to…have the closet? You’ll make the closet your bedroom?”

They nodded. To be fair, it was a rather large closet, it could work.

“Fair enough. Let’s go get Hollow.”

* * *

They returned to the cave to find Hollow and Quirrel playing solitaire. “Hello Miss Hornet! Little one! How was it?” Quirrel greeted them warmly.

Hornet ignored the question for the moment, instead, she asked her own. “Did you teach Hollow to play solitaire?”

“Yes! They didn’t seem to understand how to play poker very well. And it’s a little difficult to play with one arm, I would imagine.” Quirrel looked at Hollow for backup, but Hollow was completely immersed in their game to acknowledge either of them.

She felt herself bristle. “Do not teach my sibling’s how to gamble.”

Quirrel waved his hand to dismiss the notion. “Don’t worry, they didn’t get very far. And calling poker a gambling game is rather insulting to the game, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Listen, simple bug.” Hornet grew more serious, if that was somehow possible, and got Quirrel’s attention. “My siblings and I are moving to Dirtmouth. What will you do?”

Ghost bounced around, trying to get Hornet’s attention. She intentionally ignored them, knowing they would beg for Quirrel to stay at their new home. Hornet didn’t want Quirrel at their new home _ever_.

Quirrel thought for a moment. “My plan was to return to the Teacher’s Archive. As long as I’m careful with my leg, getting there should be no issue. Fog Canyon is merely a stone’s throw away, after all.”

Hornet nodded. “I hope you fall into acid.” She said with a flat tone

He laughed. “Your humor is certainly strange!” Quirrel stood up, leaning on his good leg. “I hope you fall prey to wild beasts! Keep the pack of cards, I can always find another.” He stumbled out of the cave, waving to the three as he left. “Good luck!”

As Ghost waved goodbye, Hornet huffed to herself. “I give him three days.”

* * *

It was a challenge getting Hollow up into the town of Dirtmouth. They were in no state to climb up a well, but they did it anyway, despite Hornet’s protests.

Were they feeling cooped up, in that little cave? Did they want to stretch their limbs? Were they tired of closed spaces? Hornet could only wonder.

The siblings stuck to the shadows to avoid any unwanted attention that would no doubt come from _the_ Hollow Knight, Deepnest’s Princess, and a vessel with the King’s brand.

Somehow, by luck or some higher being watching over them, they managed to get into the house without detection. She had to hold back a laugh as Hollow hit their head on the doorway, but they fit inside the home asides from the door.

“Well…” Hornet struggled to find the right words. “…welcome home.”

She watched, somewhat fascinated, as her siblings slowly wandered their new home. It dawned on her that they had never been inside a house like this, with the exception of Ghost helping her take a look at the house earlier.

Hollow only knew two worlds; the White Palace and the Black Egg Temple. Two wildly different places, both equally confining. Hornet grew in the palace for only a short time before being sent away to the Hive to train. And Ghost? She had no clue.

“Hollow? You get the master bedroom.” She gestured for them to follow her upstairs. The bed and sheets were still there, although Hornet made a mental note that they would need new ones. “Get some rest, OK?”

As she turned to leave, Hollow grabbed her wrist. “What…what’s wrong?” She looked at them, trying to understand.

Hollow glanced around the large, empty room, shaking their head slowly. They moved her hand to rest on their mask, the large vessel pushing their face into it.

Hornet took a shot in the dark. “You…don’t want me to leave?” She noticed that Little Ghost had wandered in and climbed onto the bed, bouncing on it slightly.

Hollow nodded. It made sense, in a way. They had been alone for so long in the Black Egg Temple. “Well, if you want, I can rest on the floor?”

They sat on the edge of the bed next to Ghost, patting the spot next to them. “I don’t believe your bed is big enough for all three of us to share.”

Tilting their mask to show their growing impatience, they tried to get comfortable. Laying on their stomach with their chin on a pillow proved to be best. Ghost curled up next to them, clinging to their arm and nuzzled it.

“That is rather cute.” Hornet admitted, hesitantly sitting on the bed next to her siblings. She found a little sliver of bed to lay on, and it was…nice.

Peaceful, almost. Just Hornet and her siblings. She felt like nothing could hurt them here, safe in their own home.

Things were going to be very different. But maybe that’s a good thing.


End file.
